Tigerheart's Shadow/Chapter 2
Chapter description :As the two days pass, Tigerheart wonders if he should stay in ShadowClan or leave with Dovewing. His thoughts chase him like kits chasing their tails. He has one day to make up his decision, but the right choice feels like a piece of prey that he can't catch. Grassheart interrupts his thoughts, and Tigerheart looks at the pale brown tabby she-cat, who blinks at him. She irritably says that they were going on a hunting patrol, and Tigerheart apologizes, saying that he's been thinking about something else. Grassheart sharply says to think later, since they needed to catch prey. The she-cat then notes how much Ratscar's ribs were sticking out. :Guilt drops like a stone in Tigerheart's belly. His mate is expecting kits, ShadowClan is hungry, and his father is struggling to gain respect back for his Clan. Tigerheart should be the cat fixing everything, but he can't even focus on catching prey. Snowbird's white pelt shows between withering ferns as she announces she smells a rabbit. Grassheart hurries to her side, asking how fresh it is, and Snowbird responds that it is fresh enough, before creeping away from the ferns, her tail tip twitching in excitement. :Tigerheart glances towards the SkyClan border; he can smell their scent on the pine trees at the top of the rise. He wonders if he made the right decision giving SkyClan half of ShadowClan's land since there might've been more prey if they have more space to hunt. Tigerheart flicks his tail and silently confirms it was the right decision because SkyClan had needed a home. He hopes that StarClan will spread kindness where there has been fear and mistrust. Tigerheart just wishes that his Clanmates will think the same, but Scorchfur, Snowbird, and Stonewing make it clear that they were not content with giving up half their land. :Tigerheart closes his eyes as fresh worry clouds his thoughts. Above him, thrushes sound like they were having their own argument, and a cold wind rustles branches. Snowbird and Grassheart were out of sight, tracking the rabbit, but as Tigerheart turned to follow them, paws thrummed at the top of the rise. Sandynose calls a greeting to the deputy with Rabbitleap beside him. Both were heaving, but their eyes were bright. Sandynose glances at a pine trunk where a tail bobs upward, remarking that the the squirrels are fast in their territory. Rabbitleap dips his head and says that he hopes ShadowClan is having better luck and Tigerheart mews that they don't. :He wonders if hunting has anything to do with luck, and you just have to be a good warrior, which Tigerheart thinks he isn't. He wishes he were a better warrior, that way Rowanstar can't be overwhelmed by leadership. Small paws thrumming against the earth interrupt his thoughts as Grassheart's urgent mew sounds through the trees as she tells Tigerheart prey is coming. He stiffens as a rabbit races past him and goes across the border, where Rabbitleap and Sandynose race after it. :Tigerheart freezes in shame, and Grassheart thunders up to him, calling him a mouse-brain for not catching it. Snowbird follows, anger sparking in her eyes as she says that they had driven it straight towards him. She then looks to Grassheart, telling her she thought Rowanstar was the unreliable one. Grassheart snorts crossly, saying that they are father and son. Tigerheart shoots back, saying that it is not fair and Rowanstar could outhunt both of them. He realizes they stopped listening and were staring at the deserted slope. Snowbird curls her lip, announcing that she smells SkyClan, and asks Tigerheart if that is what was distracting him. :Tigerheart confesses that he was talking to Rabbitleap and Sandynose, and secretly wishes that was all that was distracting him. Grassheart frowns and stares at the churned pine needles where the rabbit had scrambled to the top of the slope. She growls that he let their prey run straight into their paws. Tigerheart feels irritation, and feels that he has had enough of trying to persuade his Clanmates that having SkyClan as neighbors would make them safer, not weaker. He's tired of making excuses for Rowanstar, tired of chasing prey that preferred other Clans' land, and wonders if he should leave with Dovewing. Noting that she made him happy, and she needed him, and so did their kits. He tells himself that he loves her. :Sandynose and Rabbitleap appear at the border, the rabbit still dangling from Sandynose's jaws. Snowbird hisses at them, asking if they had come to gloat. Sandynose tosses the prey down the slope, and glares haughtily at the white she-cat, saying that they can return it. Snowbird bristles, and says they don't need them to hunt for them. Tigerheart catches the older warriors' eye, warning her to be quiet. Grassheart pads up to the rabbit and glances back at Snowbird, telling her that Ratscar will be grateful for it. Snowbird narrows her eyes, and says nothing. Grassheart changes her gaze to Tigerheart, and states they should take it. Tigerheart nods, adding that it would have been their catch if he was quicker. Snowbird growls under her breath, and Grassheart dips her head to the two SkyClan warriors, and tells them it's kind of them to return the prey. Sandynose bows stiffly and turns away. :Snowbird sniffs that they were being almost as smug as ThunderClan, although Grassheart responds that they were being generous. Tigerheart feels his pelt prickle hotly, and tries to ignore his shame, but figures it's a chance to persuade Snowbird that giving SkyClan their land was a good idea. He tells the she-cat that they are lucky to have such honorable warriors close by. Snowbird retorts that only he would see luck in losing half their territory. Grassheart rolls her eyes, and tells the deputy that Snowbird will be fine once she sees Ratscar eating the rabbit. :The three cats enter camp, and Tigerheart calls to Whorlpaw, asking him where Ratscar is. Whorlpaw replies that he is out doing a border patrol with Juniperclaw. Tigerheart blinks, and notes that elders weren't supposed to do border patrol. Scorchfur, speaks up, explaining that he offered to take his place, but Ratscar insisted that since there were so few cats in camp, he should help, and the gray warrior's gaze flickers to the rabbit Grassheart was carrying, and compliments her on the catch, and asks if there are any more where it came from. Tigerheart promises that they will go out again soon. He notices Tawnypelt and Rowanstar at the head of the camp's clearing. :Tigerheart turns, and notices Juniperclaw entering camp, with Alderheart and Willowshine behind him. Tigerheart notes that this is odd, as Mistystar was determined to restore her Clan's strength, and announced at the last Gathering that she would close their borders. Ratscar follows the two Medicine Cats, Tigerheart noting his old, mangy pelt rippling with unease. The two sit in front of the ShadowClan leader, and Willowshine explains to him that she has had a vision, and she and Alderheart are looking for a cat with an extra claw, adding that it is the only way to fend off the coming storm. Alderheart asks Rowanstar if he knew anyone with six toes, leaning forward as he speaks. :Tigerheart wonders if he should be relieved, as there were no shadows swallowing the ThunderClan nursery, and no hint about Dovewing expecting kits. Scorchfur's mew hooks Tigerheart from his thoughts, and asks how they could send out a search party, noting that they barely had enough cats to patrol their borders. Rowanstar dips his head in agreement, saying that the SkyClan border can't be left unguarded. Anxiety pricks Tigerheart's belly. He wonders how he could leave a Clan with so few cats. An angry hiss jerks him from his thoughts, and he sees Scorchfur and Tawnypelt facing off. Scorchfur asks Tawnypelt why they chose Darktail over Rowanstar, snarling that he was a weak leader then, and a weak leader now. Tawnypelt spits at Scorchfur, and sliced her claws across the tom's muzzle. Tigerheart freezes, and frantically questions why his Clan were fighting themselves. Scorchfur retaliates, and swings his claws at Tawnypelt's face. The she-cat ducks, but yowls in pain. Panic surges through Tigerheart as he realizes Scorchfur hit her eye. He yowls, and throws himself between Scorchfur and Tawnypelt, and shields his mother, hissing at Scorchfur. Rowanstar just stares, his gaze stricken with shock. :Tigerheart faces his mother, asking if she is okay. He feels fur brush his flank and Puddleshine slides in beside him, and gently eases the deputy out of the way. Tigerheart, still in shock, turns to face Alderheart and Willowshine, but the two were already hurrying out of camp, and Scorchfur backs away to the edge of the clearing. Rowanstar stares at Scorchfur, undisguised contempt in his eyes, and asks him how they could trust a Clanmate who turns on his own so easily. Scorchfur glares back, and asks Rowanstar how they could trust a leader who gives up on his Clan so easily. Tigerheart's gaze glitters between the two toms. Puddleshine then assures Tawnypelt that it was only a flesh wound, and her vision won't be harmed. Relief sweeps through Tigerheart as Puddleshine leads Tawnypelt to the medicine den. Tigerheart can hardly believe that one Clanmate tried to blind another, and thinks that nothing could be farther from the warrior code. The deputy thinks he should have stopped it, but realizes he could have if he hadn't been so wrapped up in Dovewing. He pictures Dovewing, waiting, frightened, and alone, carrying their kits. He feels love seem to tear his heart in two, and the pain leaves him breathless. :Puddleshine breaks Tigerheart from his thoughts, calling his name, with Rowanstar at the medicine cat's heels. Tigerheart anxiously asks if his mother is all right. Puddleshine nods, and explains that she is in his den, resting. Puddleshine then adds that he needs to speak with him and Rowanstar. Tigerheart frowns, and asks why. Puddleshine's gaze shifts from Rowanstar to Tigerheart, his gaze dark with warning, and says that there is something he had to share with both of them. Characters Major }} Minor *Snowbird *Sandynose *Rabbitleap *Rowanstar *Ratscar *Juniperclaw *Alderheart *Puddleshine *Willowshine *Scorchfur *Whorlpaw }} Mentioned *Stonewing *Mistystar *Darktail }} Notes and references Category:Tigerheart's Shadow Category:Chapter subpages Category:Super Edition arc